Pape Malick Kandji : «Mangane is like a big brother»

«I am from Dakar, Senegal». Pape Malick Kandji introduces himself. «I was trained at the Mayacine Foot Center Academy, before signing my first professional contract with a team from the Senegalese Ligue 2. I am a centre back, and have just signed a contract with Stade Rennes”.

The first surprise of this winter transfer window, a month before it opens, has arrived from M’Bour, the city of his former club, ASC Touré Kunda. The town is located about 50 kilometres south of Dakar. This is where Pape Malick knew his first games as a professional player in the Senegalese second division. “I was upgraded”, he explains. I was always given the chance to play with older players”. Kandji is a tall player: 1.90 m high, for a lengthy but solid defender (82kg). Enough to maybe draw some comparison in the future with another Senegalese defender playing in “Rouge et Noir”…

Before considering the future, let’s look back at the past. Looking for a European club to make the leap towards the Old Continent, the young defender had a few tests in various clubs a few months ago. A rumour was sending him to La Gantoise, in Belfium, but the Stade Rennais was finally signing him after a “satisfying” trial, in his own words.

« I’ve chosen Rennes to go on with my training, Pape Malick explains, to work in good conditions too, and because the coach really made me improve my skills during my trial”. Forgotten “Sochaux, Strasbourg, Lille, Hoffenheim and the other clubs”, and welcome to the Stade Rennais. The schedule over the next weeks will be an adaptation with the Reserve team, with the aim to receive a chance to join the Ligue 1 team if the opportunity arises. “Rennes was proposing something more concrete to me (ed.: than the other clubs)in terms of career management”, he confirms. Enough to decide his choice for the Breton capital.

« I need to work on everything »

At the moment, the player is working on his adaptation, already made easy by his team-mates as a whole, and some in particular. “All the players are nice, but there is always some you get on better with”, Pape Malick justifies, before mentioning Victor Hugo Montaño or young Ghanaian midfielder Kamal Issah as prime examples. But the adaptation is not only a matter of new team-mates, as the landscape and climate of Brittany mark a certain change with Senegal’s. “I like Rennes as a city, Kandji only observes. I had th chance to visit, and I like it”.

Listening to his words, one could believe that his adaptation in terms of football will be very long. “I need to work on everything”, he repeats modestly, refusing to pick any qualities for himself. And when ask whether his strong stature is a special advantage in the air, the young defender refuses any self-compliment: “It’ what I’m told! But hey! You will see by yourselves anyway!”, he replies.

The best way to actually try and find out which sort of centre back he would like to be, is maybe to ask him which player he considers as an inspiration . “Alessandro Nesta, Pape Malick replies. For his understanding of the game, his sense of anticipation, his presence in the one-on-ones. He is an all-round defender.”

Although he won’t have the chance to play alongside the Italian world Champion at AC Milan, Kandji will have a chance to count on another great defender, also from Senegal, in Kader Mangane. «He is like a big brother, he is always giving me advice, he explains. It’s good to have him as an example, to be able to look at him in order to work better and succeed”. There will certainly be plenty of hard work indeed. But the good attitude is already showing.

Pape Malick Kandji

Born on September 12th, 1992 in Dakar (Senegal)
1.90 m, 82 kg
Position : Centre back, occasionally defensive midfielder

Career :
- Mayacine Football Center Academy
- Touré Kunda FC
- Stade rennais FC

Thanks to Pape Malick Kandji for his availability and for his kindness.